Microsatellite polymorphism and its association with body weight and selected morphometrics of farm red fox (Vulpes vulpes L.)

Polymorphism of 30 canine-derived microsatellites was studied in a group of 200 red foxes kept on 2 Polish farms. 22 out of 30 microsatellites were selected to study association between marker genotypes and body weight (BW), body length (BL), body circumference (BC), tail length (TL), ear height (EH), length of the right front limb (FRLL), length of the right rear limb (RRLL), length of the right front foot (FRFL) and length of the right rear foot (RRFL). A total of 112 alleles and 243 genotypes were found at 22 autosomal microsatellite loci. Three monomorphic loci deemed as uninformative were excluded from the study. The association between marker genotypes and the studied traits was analysed using general linear model (GLM) procedure and least squares means (LSM). Linkage disequilibrium (LD) was estimated to assess non-random association between microsatellite loci. Out of 19 microsatellites studied four markers showed no association with the studied traits, three markers had a significant effect on one trait, and another three markers had significant effect on two traits. Among ten microsatellites with significant effect on four economically important traits (BW, BL, BC, TL) four were associated with two characters: marker FH2613 with BW and BC, marker FH2097withBL and BC, marker ZUBECA6 with BW and BC, whereas marker REN75M10 was associated with BL and TL. The strongest LD (r(2) ranged from 0.15 to 0.33) was estimated between nine loci with significant effect on economically important traits (BW, BL, BC, TL)

Confining H3PO4 network in covalent organic frameworks enables proton super flow

Development of porous materials combining stability and high performance has remained a challenge. This is particularly true for proton-transporting materials essential for applications in sensing, catalysis and energy conversion and storage. Here we report the topology guided synthesis of an imine-bonded (C=N) dually stable covalent organic framework to construct dense yet aligned one-dimensional nanochannels, in which the linkers induce hyperconjugation and inductive effects to stabilize the pore structure and the nitrogen sites on pore walls confine and stabilize the H3PO4 network in the channels via hydrogen-bonding interactions. The resulting materials enable proton super flow to enhance rates by 2–8 orders of magnitude compared to other analogues. Temperature profile and molecular dynamics reveal proton hopping at low activation and reorganization energies with greatly enhanced mobility

Nest-like accumulations of faunal remains in the Middle Jurassic ore-bearing clays of the Kraków-Czestochowa Upland and their palaeobiological implications

Distinct faunal accumulations in the uppermost Bajocian/lowermost Bathonian, lowermost and Middle Bathonian of the Polish Jura (south-central Poland) have been detected. The fossils are densely packed in the centre of the accumulations and more or less dispersed in their margins. The accumulations vary in size, but all are rich in various groups of organisms, of which the molluscs (mainly bivalves) and echinoderms predominate. The echinoderms are all disarticulated, and shelly fauna occur as angular fragments with sharp edges, of random sizes and without any signs of abrasion. The different sizes of the fossil remains, from tiny echinoderm ossicles or juvenile shelly fauna to medium-sized shell fragments or belemnite rostra, exclude any transportation and thus sorting. Worth of noting is the occurrence of similar faunal groups in each accumulation. The general shape and composition of the accumulations, as well as their taphonomical features, especially the angularity of shell fragments, point to durophagous (shell-crushing) predation rather than physical processes. The various organisms may indicate that the potential predator (most probably fish) fed on various invertebrates. The indigestible particles were later regurgitated forming the accumulations discussed. The presence of various epibionts on the fossil fragments indicate,that they rested upon the sea-floor for some time-span after they had been regurgitated. Then the scavengers, as well as current action or water movements, have been responsible for dispersion of some of the fossils, as is well-visible at the margins of the investigated accumulations.

Morphology and palaeoecology of new, non-marine microconchid tubeworm from Lower Carboniferous (Upper Mississippian) of West Virginia, USA

A new species of a non-marine microconchid (Tentaculita) tubeworm, Microconchus hintonensis, from the Lower Carboniferous (Upper Mississippian, Chesterian) of West Virginia, USA, is described. Non-marine microconchids occur abundantly in the deposits of the Bluefield, lower Hinton, Princeton and Bluestone Formations of the Mauch Chunk Group, where they are either associated with land plant remains and bivalve shells, or are preserved loose in the host sediment. The specimens attached to plant remains and bivalve shells, are poorly preserved, but those occurring loose in the deposits are well-preserved in three dimensions. The interpretation pre sented here, is that the loose specimens of Microconchus hintonensis sp. nov. also originally encrusted plants (land plants, algae) and bivalve shells, but became detached after substrate degradation and dissolution. The association of land plant remains, charophyte gyrogonites, bivalves, ostracodes, conchostracans, and fish teeth and scales, and the concomitant lack of strictly marine fossils indicate that the microconchid-bearing deposits of the lower Hinton, Princeton and Bluestone Formations were deposited in fresh-water environments. Microconchus hintonensis sp. nov. is regarded as a highly fecund, opportunistic species that in large numbers colonized every available substrate in its habitat. Its abundance in the deposits investigated indicates that the species was welladapted to the environments it occupied, even during episodes of higher sedimentation rates and/or competition with other soft-bodied encrusters. During such episodes, microconchids were able to grow vertically by uncoiling and elevating their tubes, in order to escape potential burial and/or overgrowth by other encrusters

The first direct evidence of a Late Devonian coelacanth fish feeding on conodont animals

We describe the first known occurrence of a Devonian coelacanth specimen from the lower Famennian of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland, with a conodont element preserved in its digestive tract. A small spiral and phosphatic coprolite (fossil excrement) containing numerous conodont elements and other unrecognized remains was also found in the same deposits. The coprolite is tentatively attributed to the coelacanth. Although it is unclear whether the Late Devonian coelacanth from Poland was an active predator or a scavenger, these finds provide the first direct evidence of feeding on conodont animals by early coelacanth fish, and one of the few evidences of feeding on these animals known to date. It also expands our knowledge about the diet and trophic relations between the Paleozoic marine animals in general

First Record of Soft Tissue Preservation in the Upper Devonian of Poland

Soft tissue preservation is reported from Upper Devonian deposits of the Holy Cross Mountains, central Poland, for the first time. The preserved soft tissues are muscles associated with arthropod cuticle fragments. The muscles are phosphatized with variable states of preservation. Well-preserved specimens display the typical banding of striated muscles. Other muscle fragments are highly degraded and/or recrystallized such that their microstructure is barely visible. The phosphatized muscles and associated cuticle are fragmented, occur in patches and some are scattered on the bedding plane. Due to the state of preservation and the lack of diagnostic features, the cuticle identification is problematic; however, it may have belonged to a phyllocarid crustacean. Taphonomic features of the remains indicate that they do not represent fossilized fecal matter (coprolite) but may represent a regurgitate, but the hypothesis is difficult to test. Most probably they represent the leftover remains after arthropod or fish scavenging. The present study shows that soft tissues, which even earlier were manipulated by scavenger, may be preserved if only special microenvironmental conditions within and around the animal remains are established